Value Statement

The College is committed to the responsible use of public resources, and will perform appropriate economic analyses as part of its planning, evaluation, and decision-making.

ACC's decisions are fundamentally driven by pursuit of its mission of community service rather than of financial gain for itself. Many of its activities of great value to the community do not generate a net profit to the College, and many others are close enough to breakeven that their finances have little strategic impact. But careful attention to the financial implications of College operations is still necessary to identify possibilities for improvement and expansion, to ensure allocation of limited resources in accordance with planned priorities, and to avoid waste. Accordingly:

[1] The President shall ensure that the economic analyses needed for planning and evaluation are conducted according to reasonable, clearly-stated principles that are applied in a consistent manner.

[2] These principles shall make appropriate provision for matching costs with revenues, for recognition and allocation of indirect and capital costs, and for using appropriate methodologies for valuation and projection of cost and revenue elements in long term business analyses.

[3] The level of detail and sophistication of analyses may be adapted to the size and economic sensitivity of the topics.

[4] Analyses or projections provided to the Board shall report the sources of the information and the assumptions on which the analysis is based.

[5] Economic analyses are required for items involving total expenditures of $500,000 or more, or where otherwise specified in policy.

The Austin Community College Board of Trustees adopted this policy on January 10, 2000 and amended it on March 31, 2003. The numbering changed from E-3 to G-10 on July 9, 2007 as a result of being moved to newly renamed group G, District Finances (formerly Budgeting). Note: This policy was renumbered from G-10 to G-9 in August 2009 due to resequencing of board policies. This policy has been re-numbered from G-9 to G-8 (due to the elimination of G-5) effective May 2, 2011.